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The St. Lawrence Medical Clinic’s efforts to well-position the clinic, for now and into the future, surpassed another milestone Monday, when the new Morrisburg location opened to patients.

Of the moving process, SLMC business manager Stephen McCann said, “It’s been hectic.”

He explained that while working feverishly to get the new clinic location ready for opening, they too had to get everything out of the old location and hand the keys over to the contractors to allow them to proceed with phase two of the clinic renovation.

Phase two will see part of the old clinic renovated to house SLMC’s administration and the remainder transformed into the new Morrisburg branch of the SDG Library.

It was very important to the clinic partners that this Morrisburg location not be closed for more than just one day, as it is the busiest location, and has long been the hub of all SLMC operations, explained Dr. Paul Coolican. He showed The Leader around the new space Sunday, during the moving process.

“We are really excited about the new place,” said Dr. Coolican. “The whole space is clean, and has a nice look to it,” he said, adding that once inside, the building has the feel of a brand new one.

The new location, which is larger than the old one, will eventually feature 12 exam rooms, which is four more than the old location.

Until phase two of the renovation is complete, four of those exam rooms will be temporarily used for administrative purposes. So, doctors and patients will not see the full impact of the renovation and expansion until the new year, explained McCann.

For now, everyone who visits the clinic will notice the bright, beautiful, clean space that has been designed and built, not only to withstand the clinic’s heavy foot traffic, but also to be appropriately cleaned to maintain that appearance for many years to come. “The flooring here is similar to what you see at the hospital,” said Dr. Coolican.

Visitors to the clinic enter the building using the main entrance, which is well-marked. They are greeted with an unattractive temporary plywood facade that will remain in place until all of the ongoing construction is completed in the new year. Once visitors proceed into the clinic entrance, they are then greeted by a beautiful, open and airy space that is the main waiting room. The new clinic has one large waiting room, with a separate, smaller, waiting room for the lab.

The clinic features separate rooms for EKG and similar procedures, and another room for baby weights. The large procedure room is easily accessible by ambulance for those patients who are acutely ill.

Once complete, the Morrisburg clinic will feature three patient exam rooms through which each of the four doctors that can be on site at one time can circulate. So, patient flow will be improved.

For each of these three exam rooms, there is one office for the doctor and associated nurse to share, with adequate working space and equipment for both. In the old building the doctor and nurse each shared a computer terminal, and phone. “So, quite often we were tripping over each other,” said Dr. Coolican.

In the new space, the doctor and nurse each have their own desk, phone and computer terminal. This simple upgrade greatly improves the efficiency for the health care professionals.

These offices have doors, that close, thus allowing for much more privacy. Patient privacy is much improved throughout the entire new space.

The third exam room, will not only allows the doctors to better circulate through patients, it will result in less shuttling of patients from one place to another.

Importantly, additional exam rooms will make room for the students and residents that SLMC doctors often have with them. “We are quite involved with teaching, so it’s important for us to have space for our students. We love having the students here, and they love to come here,” he said.

Dr. Coolican mentioned that the expanded space allows greater opportunities to bring in other allied health professionals, which is something the clinic is working towards.

The exam rooms in the new space are larger than the old ones, but most importantly, they are better organized and set up not only for the doctor’s use, but also for the comfort of the patients, Coolican explained. The patient chairs are oversized for comfort, to allow patients to better relax during blood pressure checks.

With the move the SLMC has invested in additional equipment.

Now, each room is equipped with its own bpTRU machine, thus eliminating the past practice of shuttling this important equipment between patient exam rooms.

Even taken into account was the positioning of the patient chairs and the computer terminals, to ensure easier interaction between physician and patient.

“Dr. (Marilyn) Crabtree, took control of all that, and I’m sure all the other physicians would agree, she did a fantastic job,” said Dr. Coolican.

He said that the organizational efforts of Dr. Crabtree and McCann, were invaluable throughout this entire project.

“There were lots of little issues in making sure that everything was done right, and they looked after all that,” said Coolican, He too mentioned the importance of Wendy Casselman, who coordinated the move.

If I hadn’t romanticized his “knights of the air” exploits over Allied lines in France, 1915-18, and fallen in love with the whole concept of open cockpit planes, I might have thought twice about going up in an open 1939 Waco UPF 7. Maybe even three times.

I also blame my father, who was an avid recreational pilot for years, and thought the idea of my taking to the air in the Waco was wonderful when I told him. Even at 84, he’d have been thrilled to climb on board.

The upshot was that on Sunday, June 17, 2012, at the air strip opposite Upper Canada Village, I found myself shaking hands with pilot Greg Reynolds of Central Aviation, and getting ready to go aloft in one of three remaining fully restored Waco aircraft owned and still flying in Canada.

Central Aviation is a Transportation Canada approved 703-704 air carrier. The company operates business Citations, and Navajos as well as Canada’s three original Wacos.

Genial (and very reassuring), Reynolds has been flying for 40 years.

With Jordan McCorkle of the Aviation Museum in Ottawa, making arrangements from the ground, Central Aviation will be affiliated throughout the summer with Upper Canada Village, and operating in South Dundas. Seven days a week, passengers of all ages can book a ride in the red vintage, World War II aircraft.

“The Waco was used by the United States Air Force to train pilots for duty in the World War,” Reynolds explained. “About 625 of the planes were built in Waco, Texas.

A Waco carries a 220 H.P. radial engine. On the books, it has a top speed of 100 mph. But,” he added with a smile, “that would be on a good day with a wind at your back and possibly heading down hill. Generally we cruise at 85 mph.”

History aside, it was time, Reynolds said, to fly.

This involved putting on the leather flying cap, with its chin strap buckles and ear protection. It involved climbing up on the wing and clambering into the open front cockpit where Reynolds securely fastened the shoulder and waist harness. (Double checked that: on the off chance that we did fly upside down, I did not plan to “jump to any conclusions.”) I also kept in mind the pilot’s advice to “sit on your notebook, or it’ll get sucked out,” and boss Sam Laurin’s parting instructions: “Don’t drop the Leader camera over the side.”

Aircraft like the Waco (often called a “tail dragger” because of the small wheel at the rear of the plane) were originally built to take off and land on grass and in bumpy fields. Having an actual paved runway opposite the Village was a perk as we taxied for take off into the wind.

The plane lifted off gently, effortlessly. Beautiful.

At somewhere around 2,000 -2,500 feet, we swung over Crysler Marina, then wheeled out over the glassy St. Lawrence, and down towards the Village. Reynolds will also take passengers over the site of the Lost Villages. Roads and the foundations of buildings, invisible these 50 plus years under the Seaway, are easy to pick out from the air.

It was an exhilarating ride. This, the old time barn-storming pilots would say, is “real flying”. Engine running smoothly, wind in your face, feeling like a bird up there as the small craft turns and banks.

You experience the river, the shorelines and the old-fashioned greenery of Upper Canada Village in a completely new way from an open cockpit.

The flight was over way too soon for me.

With none of the thumping, or slamming backwards I have long associated with landing, especially in big commercial planes, the Waco dropped gently on to the runway.

Regretfully, I climbed out of the cock pit and reluctantly gave up my jaunty flying cap. (I like that Billy Bishop look.)

“What a great flight. It was wonderful, fantastic. I’ve never landed so softly, so smoothly before,” I exclaimed. “Well,” said pilot Greg Reynolds, grinning modestly, “I do have my good days.”

For information, or to book a memorable ride for two in the Waco UPF 7, a 1939 World War II trainer, call 613-809-6179 or go to uppercanadavillage.com

If the Morrisburg Terry Fox Run raises $5,000 this year, this site will surpass the $100,000 fund rasing mark.

Although organizers of the Morrisburg Terry Fox Run, which has been taking place from the Morrisburg Legion site since 1980, are aware of this number, really the amount of money raised is not what they are thinking about as they prepare for the 2013 Run.

The run, walk, bike, event is set to take place Sunday, September 15. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and goes until noon at the Morrisburg Legion.

“Really, we just want people to come out and participate,” said key organizer Scott Robinson. “If you are heading out on a Sunday walk, why not come out and join us?” he said. “You don’t have to go and get pledges or fund raise, just drop by anytime during registration, and make a personal donation. Then go for a walk.”

He adds, “I’m happy if anyone comes by and donates a dollar and goes for a walk, and during that walk they think about those lost to cancer, those who have cancer and those who are going to get cancer. That’s what this is all about.”

Five kilometer and 10 kilometer routes are marked for the event.

But, organizers too say that the distance is unimportant, it’s the participation that truly matters.